Davis And Justice Named January Student-Athletes Of The Month

Gustavus Adolphus men’s swimmer Whitaker Davis turned in one of the most successful months a swimmer can hope to have this January, earning himself Gustavus Men’s Student-Athlete of the Month honors. Davis, who has not lost a race since teammate Billy Schultze bested him in the 200 IM back on Nov. 6, 2010 (Davis went on to win both the 500 and 1000 free in the meet), won every individual event he competed in in January and was named MIAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week on Jan. 24, 2011.

The Gustavus men’s swimming and diving team went 2-2 in head-to-head duals, and placed first out of seven teams at the Grinnell Invitational, on the month. At the St. Thomas/Hamline double-dual on Jan. 8, Davis recorded individual wins in the 200 freestyle (1:44.86), 200 butterfly (2:01.58), and 500 free (4:54.34), and a relay victory in the 800-free relay (7:18.46). Whitaker kept the momentum going a week later with three more wins in a 157-143 victory over rival Carleton. Davis won the 200 butterfly in 2:03.78, 200 free in 1:44.74, and 200 IM in 2:02.77 at the meet.

Whitaker Davis

Facing a much larger field at the Grinnell Invitational, Davis ceased to be intimidated. The senior from Palatine, Ill. put together his best meet of the season with four individual event wins. Davis dominated the freestyle races, winning the 200 free with a time of 1:45.24, the 500 free with a time of 4:40.32, and the 1650 free with a time of 16:50.50. Davis’s fourth win came in the 200 butterfly after going 2:01.94. He also contributed to the wins of the 800 free relay, 400 medley relay, and 400 free relay at the meet. Each race that Davis took part in set a new pool record in Grinnell’s Russell K. Osgood Pool. Davis earned MIAC Swimmer of the Week honors for his performance at the meet.

Davis closed out the month in fitting fashion, winning both individual events in which he competed on Senior Nigh against MSU-Mankato on Jan. 28. Whitaker broke the pool record in the 1000 free with a time of 9:33.13. The pool record was previously held by his brother Skylar, who swam a 9:46.34 in 2007. He added another win in the 500 free with a time 4:39.77, narrowly missing Matt Stewart’s pool record time of (4:39.16).

Whitaker Davis is poised for a strong showing at the MIAC Swimming and Diving Championships held Feb. 17-19 in the Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Davis holds the top time in the MIAC in the 1000 free (9:46.87), while ranking second in the 200 free (1:43.78), 500 free (4:39.53), 1650 free (16:23.47).

Gustavus Adolphus junior goaltender Danielle Justice earned Gustavus Women’s Student-Athlete of the Month Honors for her play in the month of January. Justice got the decision in all six of Gustavus’ games, helping the Gusties to go 3-1-2 in January. She registered over 320:00 minutes between the pipes the past month, recording one shutout by way of a 23-save effort in a 0-0 overtime tie against then eighth-ranked Trinity. The only blemish on her record came in a 2-1 loss against St. Catherine on Jan. 28. Justice made 20 saves in the game, 14 of which came in the second period, as it was just the fourth conference loss of her career. She allowed five goals and made a total of 93 saves in January, finishing with a goals against average of .714 and a save percentage of .951.

Justice, a native of Alexandria, Minn., is currently the second-ranked goalminder in the nation. She is 9-3-2 on the season with a goals against average of .813 (2nd in nation) and an NCAA-leading save percentage of .959. She has allowed the second-fewest goals of any goalie in the top-25 at 11, while tallying 811:35 minutes in nets. Within MIAC play, Justice is 7-2-1 with a save percentage of .951 and a goals against average of .85.

Justice is nearing the 40-win milestone with a career record of 36-8-6 (.780 Win%). She has made 768 saves for a career save percentage of .948, and has allowed 42 goals for a goals against average of .860.

Danielle is an Economics and Environmental Studies double major with a 3.803 GPA.